United States DC Circuit

In an action arising out of plaintiff's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for FBI records, summary judgment to defendants is affirmed where the Government has taken the necessary basic steps to ascertain whether an individual was dead or alive and was justified in withholding personal information under Exemption 7(C).

Appellate Information

• Argued 10/17/2003
• Decided 11/18/2003
• Published 11/18/2003

Judges

• Before:  GINSBURG, Chief Judge, EDWARDS, Circuit Judge, and WILLIAMS, Senior Circuit Judge.

Court

• United States DC Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• James H. Lesar argued the cause and filed the briefs for appellant., Michael E. Tankersley was on the brief for amici curiae Public Citizen, Inc., et al. in support of appellant.


• For Appellees:
  
• Michael J. Ryan, Assistant U.S. Attorney, argued the cause for appellee.   With him on the brief were Roscoe C. Howard, Jr., United States Attorney, and R. Craig Lawrence, Assistant United States Attorney.